Consortium To Review Gun Control Ordinance

North, Northwest suburbs — Home-rule municipalities are taking a look at the county's new gun control law to determine whether it is necessary to pass local ordinances.

Members of the Northwest Municipal Conference, a consortium of 35 communities, have convened a committee of village attorneys, managers and police chiefs to review gun control legislation passed last month by the Cook County Board.

The ordinance prohibits suburban gunshops from opening within a half-mile of a school or park, but exempts gunshops in owner-occupied buildings. It allows other gunshops to continue operating until their lease expires.

But many towns are wondering whether to exercise their home-rule authority to make their own laws superseding the county ordinance. If they don't, the county ordinance prevails.

A portion of the county ordinance goes into effect later in November.

Rita Athas, executive director of the conference, said the committee would report its findings in January.

The controversy was prompted largely by critics of a Prospect Heights gunshop, Strictly Shooting, that opened across the street from Hersey High School.